Fence-wire tightener



(No Model.)

H. G. MODANIEL. FENCE WIRE TIGHTENER.

No. 449.563. Patented Mar. 31,1891.

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HIRAM e. MODANIEL, or AROHBOLD, ornoi FENCE-WIRE TIG HTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 449,563, dated March 31, 1891.

Application filed December 27, 1890. Serial No. 375,944. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:-

Be it known that I, HIRAM G. MODANIEL, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Archbold, in the county of Fulton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Tire Tighteners, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in wire-tightening dev ces for wire fences of that class wherein wires are run from post to post and held thereto by means of staples or like means, the slack in the wires being taken up by tightening devices upon one of the posts; and it has for its object the production of a wiretightening device which can be attached to the front side of any post, and which will be cheap and durable in construction and efficient in operation.

Viththis object in view the invention consists of certain details of construction and combination of parts, all as more fully hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a perspective view of a fence provided with wire-tightening devices made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of aportion of a post, showing one of the wire-tightening devices attached thereto. Fig. 3 is a plan View of the same.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the posts to which the wires B are secured by means of staples or in any other suitable manner. To one of the posts, preferably the end or corner one, are secured the wire-tightening devices 0, each of which consists of a supporting-link 1, secured at one end to the post by means of awood-screw or headed pin 2. A turning pin 3 passes through a perforation in the other end of the link and into a socket 4 in the post. The turning pin is squared 011 its outer end, as at 5, for the application of a wrench by which it may be turned when it is desired to tighten the wire. A ratchet-wheel 6, fixed on the turning pin, is engaged by a gravity-pawl 7, carried by I the headed pin 2, thus preventing any backward rotation of the turning pin and loosenmg of the wire. A perforation S in the turnfeature of this invention.

ing pin receives the end of the wire, which is wound upon that portion of the pin between the supporting-link and the post. To insure sufficieut room for this purpose a spacingstrip 9 is interposed between the post and the supporting-link, which holds the latter away from the post, as seen in Fig. 3. It will be seen that by this construction a simple and durable device for tightening the wires is obtained, which can be placed upon the side of any post without the necessity of perforating the post for the wires or otherwise preparing it for the reception of the tightening devices.

The supporting-link forms an important By forming'a bearing for the turning pin it prevents the latter from binding or pulling out of the post, and being interposed between the wire and the ratchet-wheel renders it impossible for the wire to ride upon the wheel and be broken. It also forms a side bearing for the ratchet and pawl.

By turning the turning pin the wire is wound thereon and the slack along the whole line of fence taken up. If the fence should make a turn, small pulleys may be placed upon the corner-post, as seen in Fig. 1, around which the wires may pass, thereby making one set of tightening devices sufficient to tighten the wires on two or more sides of an inclosure.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination, with a fence-post, of a wire-tightening device consisting of a turning pin revolubly mounted in the post, said pin being provided with a ratchet-wheel and having a squared outer end, a spacing-strip secured to the post, a headed pin passed through said strip and fixed in the post, a supporting-link connecting both pins, and a pawl pivoted to the fixed pin and engaging with the ratchet-wheel, the turning pin having a transverse perforation between the supporting-link and the post, substantially as described.

In'testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HIRAM G. MCDANIEL.

Witnesses:

OHAs. HEUPEL, JACOB EHRAT, Jr. 

